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Sick Days

I’m home sick today. Sore throat, headache, slight fever and the occasional sneeze. Nothing I couldn’t dose and cover with meds and get to work, but that seems so unhealthy to me. And so inconsiderate to my co-workers. I mean, sure, I can mask the symptoms, but I’m probably sporting some bug and OTC doesn’t do anything about a contagious virus.

Last night my wonderful husband made me chicken soup with matzo balls. So good – fresh, free range chicken boiled in organic chicken broth with leeks, onions, carrots, celery, shallot with some herbs and spices. It took him almost 3 hours to make it, but boy was it fabulous. Now THAT is a labor of love. It made my sore throat go away for hours and I slept like a baby. I’m probably going to have more for lunch, though he also has some fresh tuna steaks marinating that were meant for last night’s dinner. He and Jacob will be going to a Sukkot dinner tonight, but I’m going to keep my germs at home.

It’s kind of fun being in bed all day. It’s been a while since I had a sick day. They used to come pretty often in my SMO3 days (super morbidly obese category III) but now I’m the “poster child for health” as one of my co-workers called me the other day. I was sitting on my 75 cm exercise ball (now my chair at work) and eating my Jenny O ground turkey breast with grilled veggies and talking about my new fitness challenge. I guess I’m one of THOSE people now. The ones I used to tune out for the most part, because I wasn’t ready to hear about how much fun it was or how good it feels to feed my body what it needs and push my body to the limit and a bit beyond.

So I’ll take my sick day and piddle a bit with work and get a few hours in, so I’m not too behind. But for the most part, I’m just going to doze and drink liquids and rest. Being healthy means taking care of myself, and frankly, I’ve learned that I’m not irreplaceable. Anyone on my team can pretty much step in and do my job and that’s as it should be. I don’t need to create situations where no one can do what I do – I don’t want to be indispensable. Even last year when I got laid off, I was actually proud of the fact that someone could take over my work. That I was caught up and documented and could hand off pretty easily. My co-worker took over seamlessly and they have been successful. I wish I was still there, but I’m glad that the project and the work went on without me.

I think that’s a good attitude for life as well: I need to be working with a partner (my husband) and be so in synch with him that if something happens to one of us, the other is not left lost and struggling. Sad and grieving, yes, that goes without saying, but life should go on and go on as well as it can. I need to be organized and documented and not leave too much mess behind for someone else to deal with after I’m gone.

Today is my appointment with Rebecca, my weight loss therapist. I’ve got a lot of stuff to talk about – mean people and opportunities that didn’t pan out; my new challenge at the fitness center; my contract getting renewed through next year; the weight watchers’ success day; in general, all my progress and challenges in the last two weeks. Seeing Rebecca firms things up, gets them clear in my head.

Sort of rambling today, but that’s okay. Have a great one and talk to you tomorrow.

Karen aka the Project Manager

50-something mom, wanna be writer and adventurer trying to figure out my 40+ year battle with food and eating. I’ve done every diet and even had gastric bypass – still gained it back. In 2016 I joined Overeaters Anonymous and for the first time in my life, I am peaceful about food. In November 2017 I learned about Bright Line Eating and am having success with weight loss once again.